Lockdown ending - feeling depressed

[knickerthief1]

Is anyone else finding it hard to adjust to the idea of returning to a more normal life or AIBU? I feel like maybe I'm losing the plot! I've always had a good social life and an active life in general. I really thought I would struggle badly with my mental health during the lockdown but I've found I've adapted to it very well and have hardly left the house in the last 10 weeks. Now things are changing I can feel my mood plummeting. I've been working from home for the duration.

I think unfortunately there are plenty of CEOs and department heads who don't think employees work hard enough at home. I bet a large percentage will not have changed their minds, and will indeed be reopening offices, expecting the max hours from staff that they can possibly achieve with social distancing.

I'm job hunting at the moment and trying to work out which companies are WFH, which have made their staff go in unnecessarily, and which ones won't get rid of me if DS's nursery closes for a second wave in my probation period. I'm very nervous about it.

I can identify OP! I agree with a lot of what you have said. I too usually live for my holidays and travelling, and usually it is very very rare for me to have a night in (I don’t have kids) - I usually see friends 5 or so nights a week. I’m a very sociable person in normal times.
Even though my income has taken a huge hit (I’m partly self-employed) I have really enjoyed this time. Maybe the enforced slower pace and the lack of guilt about not being able to be in several places at once.
I am also worried about going back to work as my job involves prolonged close contact with members of the public.
And throw into the mix that I think everything is being relaxed too soon, and that people are not abiding the current rules, so I’m definitely not happy about the relaxing of lockdown.

I've loved not having pressure to go out out. Over the last year or so I've changed from an extrovert to an introvert. Dont know why, no specific triggers. I've not revealed this my bestie who would be totally gutted if I didn't want to go out out with her. So, when bars etc are all open I'll expected to go out out again ... and I'm dreading it.

I was working through most of lockdown but doing fewer hours and quieter at work so that was nice and also no school runs and general rushing about. I’ve just had a three week furlough block which has been amazing and a much needed break.

I’m dreading this week. My dd has gone to school today - so school runs are starting again and I’m back to work on Thurs when it will be much busier than before my break.

I have enjoyed lockdown for the lack of pressure and being ‘too busy’ all the time.

I am enjoying lockdown. It has been great for introverts

It hasn't been great for this introvert. It's been terrible and is really affecting my already very poor mental health. I can't wait to get out there again and for things to open.

I'm scared of having to mix with people who aren't taking social distancing seriously, even if that isn't them directly but people they are mixing with inadvertently on shops etc.

I feel safe in our little bubble.

There’s a few of us with similarities: introvert personality and I have a daughter with ASD. The slower pace is a welcomed relief.

"I've baked, gardened, done yoga, read, cooked, spent time out walking with my family, done face masks, painted my nails, chatted to friends online etc"

Good for you, many people have spent lockdown stressed and busy beyond belief. I and other colleagues are working 12+ hour days to make up for the time that those home doing childcare can't complete. On top of that I'm shopping and cooking for multiple vulnerable relatives, as well as checking in on them. Working my part time, dangerous key worker job on the weekends with not enough PPE and reduced staffing. I've lost everything that makes me life worth living, I can't see my friends or boyfriend, socialises, practice my hobby, there's no time for yoga or baking, I'm lucky if I'm not too exhausted to cook a proper meal rather than a ready meal.

For everyone who's depressed about coming out of lockdown because you're losing you're nice quiet relaxing life spare a thought for those of us who are stressed beyond belief, run off our feet, in some cases facilitating your nice quiet life and for whom lockdown easing is going to provide a tiny bit of respite.

Everyone who's enjoyed lockdown and dreading it ending because they'll lose that enjoyment is in such a privileged position in the first place. So I'm sorry if my sympathy for you worrying about more traffic and invites to see people is limited.

I'm the total opposite to you but YANBU. It's a change and we're have to have some feelings about it one way or the other.

I honestly thought I was an introvert before all this happened. I have social anxiety, have always lived on my own and couldn't stand the thought of living with anyone else. Having anyone in my space for more than a couple days makes me twitchy. I nearly always holiday alone because I don't like to compromise. But lockdown has shown me I am not an introvert. I have gone out of my mind missing friends, activities, work and family (probably in that order, to be honest!). I can't wait for it to all be over.

DH and I won't be doing anything differently.

changeitupagain I can't speak for others but I have been working harder at home than I would have to at work as this has coincided with my busiest time of year and inevitably it's slower doing things at home. So in my case I can't say I'm enjoying this due to less work - but like everyone else not having to go out too often while this goes on I am very grateful for. Im also very very grateful to those who have been keeping things running in shops, transport, hospitals etc.

Yes, a little. I feel so torn as I hate the distancing thing, the queuing the general end of the world feeling and the lack of gym. I miss the office and socialising. However before lockdown I was on burnout, busy and out the house from 6.30am until 9pm and always stressed and I feel so much more relaxed now. I already am feeling pressure of so much family asking to see me, every evening this week I have plans, I'm tearing my hair out at the thought of back to back work and socialising, no alone time. Plus workouts only from home means I've put on weight, maybe 3 - 5 lbs. I feel disgusted when I look in the mirror. Was planning to go on strict food control before seeing anyone to get it off but the easing of lockdown has snuck up on me and now people will see me fat and gross.

Not for me personally - I can’t wait to resume normality. Is there someone you could speak re; this?

I really, really hope that all the lockdown lovers stay at home and carry on WFH and home-educating their children. There's no law against any of that, if they can either find a job which allows them to WFH or can give up work entirely. Nobody has to be sociable if they don't want to. Nobody has to sign their children up for judo and ballet and football and so on. Nobody even has to go to a supermarket if they don't want to, thanks to deliveries.

If all those people stay at home and keep their children at home with them, the rest of us can get on with having our lives back (and our jobs, if there are still any left).

Yes! I feel exactly the same and could have written the OP! I feel so anxious about lockdown easing and when BoJo announced loosening measures it filled me with dread. I thought I was / used to be an extrovert but I feel so safe and happy in my little bubble and I don't want it to end.

It can't come quick enough for me. For my children to get back to things they love doing and enjoying a family holiday.

@PissOffStayAtHomeDogMum

Couldn't have said it better

Lockdown may be ending but my DCs schools aren't reopening before September and there is no sign that my DDs sport that she worked so hard to get good at will resume before next year. I wish we could start getting back to normal but with the children at home for at least 3 months and then possibly blended learning it's going to be a long time coming. I think many of the posters on this thread who dont want lockdown to end are unbelievably privileged!

Yes of course those that are anxious about lockdown ending are "unbelievably privileged". That is all it is isnt it, it cant POSSIBLY be our anxiety starting to creep in, fear of the unknown again when we have just about managed to cope with the surreal weirdness of lockdown, got children to cope with the changes and are now fearful of their feelings being out of control again.... No, it cant be any of that can it.

It can be that we are "unbelievably privileged"

Im not in a privaledged position at all...NHS student, skint, single mum, tiny house ( fortunately tiny garden) still loved the slower pace as i have mental health issues that are better resolved in a quieter world.
That said i do realise many have struggled including my poor dd.I am sad for her...

Sorry for spelling errors

I'm feeling really panicky about going back to normal life. It's weird haha

@malificent7

In terms of lockdown you are very privilidge.

A stable job that was never at risk of being furloughed or made redundant
Ongoing childcare
Your own house - presumably with more than one room and a private garden
A daughter for company
The time to enjoy the slower pace of life around work

Not all of us have had some or even any of these things

If I we were going back to pre pandemic normal it might be OK. I’ll be more lonely than currently. Currently with DParents but will be alone 250 miles away where I usually live for work.

I won’t have the gym, cafes cinemas or meet-up groups where I was slowly making friends. Probably in work one day or so a week and sure that the kitchen at work will be closed off so no chatting.

I dont have a job...im a student...and dd stays in her room the whole time as is a early teen.